Chase the Storm

by Geri Foster

  “It’s okay, Kendall. I know it’s all tough on you.”

  Kendall battled back tears. It had been a long time since a man had teared up her eyes in a good way. With Bobby Joe it was always the opposite. With Marcus, he was so honest and so decent, his words touched her deeply and her heart felt lighter, her spirit freer. It had always been that way between them though, hadn’t it?

  “You’re the nicest, kindest guy I know. You have a degree, you border on brilliance.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, my dear Kendall, if you only knew. There are times I think I am the craziest, most out of touch guy in the world.”

  “I wish I were as smart as you. I always wanted to go to college, but I married a maniac instead. All that time with Bobby Joe now seems like wasted years. I feel like so much of life passed me by.”

  This might be the most honest conversation she and Marcus had had since knowing each other. And they were doing it over the phone. She knew she could never say these things to his face. It embarrassed her to admit what a fool she’d been.

  “It’s never too late.” Marcus cleared his throat. “Dreams have a tendency to wait for us, as long as we don’t take too long.”

  From the tone of his voice, Kendall wondered if his words carried a double meaning. Were they still talking about her future, her dreams, or had they moved on to their future, and his dreams.

  Did they even have one? A future, together? Did she want that?

  She paced the living room floor. “I always wanted to go to college.”

  “I know,” Marcus said. “You told me once you wanted to be an archaeologist.”

  She laughed. Leave it to Marcus to lighten the mood. “That was in the fifth grade.”

  “Oh, you’re right. And in the sixth grade you wanted to be a riverboat captain.”

  “Okay, okay. I’m a girl who can’t make up her mind.” She chuckled, feeling lighter and glad she had called him. “But as I grew older I wanted to be in landscaping.”

  He grew quiet for several seconds before saying, “Well, you certainly have the talent. You’ve done a great job on your parents’ yard and the front of the courthouse.”

  “Bobby Joe always thought that was a silly idea. Wanting to dig around in the dirt. He also thought that college was a waste of money. Something we didn’t have much of.”

  “I’m not sure you need a degree for landscaping, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt. Especially if you wanted to expand into the commercial side of it. There is a demand for that type of service.”

  “I don’t have the money and I won’t ask my parents. I’ve been putting aside the extra funds I make from my column in the newspaper, but it’ll take me forever to save up enough money for college.”

  “Kendall?” Marcus’s voice turned deep and somber. “What’s really on your mind?”

  How did he know there was something else? Marcus was always so perceptive when it came to her. She didn’t want to answer that question right now. She just wanted to keep talking without having to make a lot of sense. Chitchat sounded better than getting to the real problem but, with the air of honesty they had going on, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to open up a little. “I’m worried about what Bobby Joe will do. Eventually he’ll be released. When that happens, he’ll come back here. He doesn’t know any other way.”

  “What about Lucas? How long can he keep him locked up?”

  “I don’t know. He said Bobby Joe would be before the judge Monday morning and the punishment would be up to him to decide. My guess is they’ll let him go with another stern warning.”

  “I’m not going to let him hurt you anymore, Kendall. I don’t care what I have to do. I plan to protect you whether you want me to or not. I refuse to let Bobby Joe win this time. I want him to stay away from you, permanently.”

  “When you figure out how to do that, let me know.”

  “Do you mind if I come over?”

  Surprised at his question, Kendall looked at the clock, now pushing eleven. “I, I don’t know. Maybe I can see you tomorrow after I close up the shop.”

  “I don’t think this can wait. Things need to be settled tonight.”

  “Okay. But promise me you won’t go after Bobby Joe. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I promise. I won’t go after him as long as he doesn’t come after you.”

  “You and I both know he’ll never leave me alone. Not ever. He still thinks I belong to him. He constantly tells me I’m still his wife. You heard him earlier. He thinks he can tell me what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.”

  “Then we need to stop that, don’t we?”

  “How?”

  “We’ll discuss that when I get there. I’ll see you in about ten minutes.”

  Marcus left Frankie’s Bar and got in his car. As he started the engine his bravado waned. He didn’t know if Kendall would go for his idea or not, but he had to do something. Time for someone to step in and put a halt to Bobby Joe and his antics before they all regretted not doing something.

  He pulled up in front of her apartment, his hands gripping the steering wheel like a lifeline. As he looked out at the well-manicured entrance, Marcus felt confident he’d made the right decision. He intended to help Kendall. Protect her and keep Bobby Joe in his place.

  He shut the door and walked up the sidewalk to her apartment. One tap on the door and she answered immediately. She smiled, and his heart fluttered. If she only knew that smile tossed around his testosterone like a leaf in a storm.

  “Come in.” Kendall spread out her hand. She’d changed into a white t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts. She’d also discarded her shoes, leaving her feet bare. “Can I get you a beer?”

  Marcus nodded, rubbing his hands down the front of his shirt. He’d abandoned his jacket in the car. “Yeah, sure. I could use a cold one.”

  She came back into the living room with two longnecks.

  Handing him a cold one, she waited for him to sit on the couch, but he passed. What he had to say would be better said on his feet. He didn’t want this to be taken lightly, and it was not a conversation he planned to repeat.

  Kendall sat on the chair, pulled her legs beneath her and leaned forward. “So, what’s your bright idea, Marcus?”

  He took a long swallow of his beer and turned his sharp gaze on her. “I think I need to move in.”

  Kendall jumped up, spilling her beer down the front of her t-shirt. “What? Are you crazy?” She brushed at the spilled beer.

  “Not here. Not in your apartment.” He went in the kitchen, grabbed a towel and brought it back, tossing it on the carpeted floor to absorb the spilled beer. “I’m thinking of next door.”

  She shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. “I don’t understand. Why would you move next door?”

  “This way I can be around the next time Bobby Joe decides to come in here and beat your brains out.”

  “But you have a home.” She stepped closer. “A very nice home, I might add. Much nicer than my apartment. And the empty one next door to me is exactly like this one.”

  “I don’t care what it looks like. I just want to be nearby should Bobby Joe decide to pay you another visit.”

  Kendall looked down, peeling the label off her beer bottle. “You’re doing an awful lot for me. You don’t need to do that. Lucas can take care of him.”

  “Like tonight? If I hadn’t been here, God only knows what might’ve happened. We all know how mean Bobby Joe is. I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

  She nibbled her bottom lip and Marcus grew nervous. She stood on the verge of saying no and he didn’t want to hear her refusal. Instead, he wanted her to agree with him, to understand the logic, and care about her own safety.

  She averted her gaze. “I thank you for all your consideration Marcus, but I don’t need a babysitter. You tend to forget that I’ve been putting up with Bobby Joe since I was fourteen years old. I think I can handle him.”

  “He nearly choked you to death tonight. Is that your definit
ion of handling? Because it certainly isn’t mine. The man’s a loose cannon, ready to explode any minute. You must know that, Kendall. Whatever you have that he wants, Bobby Joe will not stop until he gets it. Even if that means hurting you.”

  “You don’t think I understand that?” Kendall started to get agitated. She was tired of people telling her how horrible Bobby Joe was. It wasn’t her fault he turned out to be a monster and nothing like the man she had married. “I’ve been here before, Marcus. More times than I wish to count. I can’t help what he does. I never could. All I could do was get myself out, and I did it. Me. I walked away even though it scared the living daylights out of me to do it. But he won’t go away. He’ll never go away, Marcus. I have to accept that.”

  “Kendall, that’s what we’ve been trying to tell you. Everyone that loves you, we want to protect you, to help you. You don’t have to accept things the way they are.”

  She gazed up at him, her long lashes fluttering. The look in his eyes was so sincere, urging her to believe him, to trust him. And there was something else too…was that…love, shining there? Love for her? Impossible. “Marcus, I…”

  “Kendall, I care so much about you, don’t you get that? I have for years. When you were married to Bobby Joe…even before that.” He turned, unable to face her. “I didn’t want to rush you and I didn’t want to jump between you and Bobby Joe. I wanted to give you time.” He turned around, his fist tightened. “But that has always been my mistake. I waited too long to make a move and Bobby Joe got there first. I have to tell you, I’ve waited long enough. I stood back in the shadows for years hoping you’d eventually notice that I’m right here, and I’m waiting. Waiting for you to realize that I’m alive, and I’m the man who cares about you. You, Kendall. Not who I want you to be or what I want for myself, but who you are.”

  “Marcus…you’ve been there during some very rough times in my life. Without your friendship I would’ve never left Bobby Joe. You gave me the courage to walk out the door and never go back.”

  That surprised and delighted him at the same time. “I want to be more than a friend, Kendall. While being buddies is nice and it affords me the opportunity to be around you, I want more. I want a lot more.” He averted his gaze. “Maybe I want it all.”

  Kendall bit her lip and began to fidget. She obviously didn’t like hearing the truth. Would she prefer he left, forget everything he’d said, go back to the way it had always been between them? Or could there be more? If given enough time, could she see him that way?

  “Marcus, you’ve always been so far out of my league.”

  His mouth fell open in shock. Did she really think that?

  “You think I didn’t crush on you when we first met? Of course I did. All the girls had a thing for you. But you and me? Friends, that made sense. More than friends…” Kendall paced the floor. “And then, after Bobby Joe? If you knew how hard it is for me to make a commitment after all that, you wouldn’t be so quick.”

  “Out of your league? Never. I don’t even know how you could have believed that. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I know it’s difficult. I know how hard it will be to trust another man, even one you’ve known for years and you call a friend. A good friend. One who’s always been there. But, do you think you could try? You know me, Kendall. And I know you. We could have something really amazing, if you’d just take a chance.”

  Take a chance? Isn’t that what Rachel had said to her. Take a chance, reach for some happiness…live. Kendall moved to stand beside him. “Exactly what is your plan, Marcus?”

  He quickly took her hand. “First, we see what happens Monday morning. If Bobby Joe doesn’t get at least a year, I thought I could move in next door for six months. That’s the shortest lease they have. By then, the court should have decided what they’re going to do with Bobby Joe. If they’re going to set him free, I think I’ll stay longer. If they arrest him and eventually put him in prison, then in six months I’ll move back to my house.”

  “It’s almost like we’re living together. Do I need to tell you what my father’s going to think about all this?” Kendall tried for some levity to reduce the intensity of their conversation.

  “I’m living next door. You have a lock and key. I’m only here for your protection.”

  She gave him a slanted glance. “Who are you kidding, Marcus? I know the stories, how you snuck out as a teenager and got back in, no one the wiser. You’re sneaky.”

  He laughed. “I’m not going to lie to you, that’s true.”

  “What?” she put her hand on his shoulder and grinned. “So you will sneak in here?”

  He put his arm around her and pulled her close. Their lips inches apart, her minty breath brushed against his face. “If that’s an invitation, I accept.”

  She stood, their gazes locked for a minute, before sobering. “Let’s see what the judge says on Monday. If he sends Bobby Joe away, we won’t have to worry about this while he’s locked up. You can stay in your nice, comfortable house, as opposed to a dumpy apartment.”

  Marcus looked around. “I like the layout of these apartments. They’re small, and that makes them nice and cozy. Besides, think how close I’ll be to you. I could be here in a finger snap.”

  “Ah, you’d love that, Marcus,” she teased.

  “Yes, I would.” He moved closer. “Most definitely.”

  She lost her breath for a second at the seriousness of his tone and in his expression. He wasn’t kidding. He really was interested in her. Way interested. She stepped back then walked across the living room and opened the door. “I’ll see you Monday in court?”

  “How about dinner after you close tomorrow?”

  “My last customer isn’t until six. I’ll be too tired for much of anything.”

  He moved toward the exit. “How about you drop by after you finish. We can order a pizza?”

  She smiled. “Oh, now you’re bribing me with pizza?”

  He laughed. “Whatever it takes.”

  Bobby Joe woke in the middle of the night and it took only a few seconds for him to realize what had happened. The uncomfortable bed he rested on assured him Lucas had arrested and locked him up. That meant Lucas Quinn must be in his office right now doing the happy dance. He’d been riding Bobby Joe ever since him and Kendall divorced.

  Not that their marriage happened to be any of the Sheriff’s damn business. Kendall belonged to him and Lucas shouldn’t stick his nose where it didn’t belong. No other man had the right to tell him how to treat his wife. He blamed Lucas for their divorce in more ways than one.

  Also, Marcus Matthews had been sniffing around Kendall ever since they split. He knew the man had high hopes that she would turn to him. As far as Bobby Joe knew, it hadn’t happened yet. If it did, he’d kill him. If he couldn’t have Kendall then neither could anyone else.

  The entire town of Rainwater made him sick to his stomach. Sure, he came from the wrong side of the tracks, but he managed to take care of things. Until he married Kendall. Then his whole life went to hell in a hand basket.

  At first it was like playing house. Having sex anytime he wanted, a woman to pick up after him, take care of him, hot meals. Hell, it didn’t get much better. Then she grew tired and started complaining about everything he did. Wanted a career of her own. She managed to go to cosmetology school and open a shop. With her new-found independence, she didn’t give him a second thought.

  Nobody did.

  He heard the outer door open and swung his legs off the cot. The room spun and he shook his head to clear his vision. Lucas entered. Oh, he had a lot to say to him.

  Head hung low, his hands balled in fists, Bobby Joe gritted his teeth and waited. “About damn time you got here and unlocked the door.”

  Gazing at his boots, he noticed Lucas stood at a distance. When he looked up the Sheriff didn’t have the keys in his hand.

  “You’re not going anywhere until you see the judge on Monday morning. He’ll decide what to do with you.�
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  Bobby Joe jumped to his feet and covered the distance between the cot and the bars in record time. Grabbing them tightly, he said, “I haven’t done a damn thing. Why am I locked up in here?”

  “You don’t remember breaking into Kendall’s apartment and beating her up?”

  Aw hell, it always came back to Kendall. “I don’t remember anything.”

  “You broke into her apartment and trashed the place. Fought with her and Marcus.” Lucas’ dark brows lifted. “You kept talking trash about a thumb drive. Remember any of that?”

  Jesus, it all came back now. Bobby Joe’s gut tightened into a hard ball, nauseating him. His heart raced as fear set in. He had to get out of there fast. If he didn’t, his hours, not days, were numbered. “Listen Lucas, I know you don’t like me and we’ve had our differences, but you have to let me go. I have to get out of town.”

  “You get out of jail on Monday. Then straight to the courthouse where the judge decides what to do with you.”

  Bobby Joe shook the steel bars. “I’m not kidding here, Lucas. Serious trouble is on its way. And if I don’t get out of here, there is liable to be more happening than you can handle.”

  Lucas cocked his hip and jammed his hands on his waist. “What have you got yourself into now, Bobby Joe? Who’s after you and what do they want?”

  “Listen.” He ran the back of his hand across his mouth. “I can’t tell you. It could get us both killed. Kendall has a thumb drive and I need it. It’s the only thing that can save my life.”

  “What makes you think Kendall has it?”

  He clamped down hard on his back teeth as his frustration mounted. “I hid it in a shoebox. One she used for junk. I hoped she wouldn’t notice and go asking a bunch of questions. I don’t have it, she does.”

  “Kendall doesn’t have it.”

  He kicked the bars, clutched them tighter with his hands and screamed. “She’s lying. She’s lying through her teeth. I know she has it somewhere in her apartment and I either turn it over or I’m going to be a dead man within twenty-four hours.”